


You Got This

by Scarvesandtrenchcoats



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF
Genre: Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Smut, blink and you'll miss it angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:14:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25132972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarvesandtrenchcoats/pseuds/Scarvesandtrenchcoats
Summary: Rami pushed open the door to his apartment, the box he was holding weighing heavy in his hands. Tonight was the first time he’d see whether he’d actually be able to do this, he’d know whether they’d made the right decision. His heart hammered against his chest, as he kicked off his shoes, hung his coat and placed the box reverently onto the table in his kitchen.Blowing out a breath, he gently opened the box. A set of teeth sat nestled into the clear box insert, immediately intimidating him.
Relationships: Rami Malek/Joe Mazzello
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19
Collections: Bohemian Rhapsody Cast Summer 2020Event





	You Got This

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnironSidh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnironSidh/gifts).



> So firstly I want to apologise for the lateness of this, I'm just gonna go ahead and blame the builders who worked on my house.  
> I also want to apologise as this is a first time for me writing a fic with no smut. It was hard. But I hope I did the prompt justice. Angst is also not my forte and I know it wasn't technically asked for, I thought it would work well in this type of story. That is also not my forte so I hope I did okay? Ive probably just given away who I am with those last few sentences. Oooops!

Rami pushed open the door to his apartment, the box he was holding weighing heavy in his hands. Tonight was the first time he’d see whether he’d actually be able to do this, he’d know whether they’d made the right decision.His heart hammered against his chest, as he kicked off his shoes, hung his coat and placed the box reverently onto the table in his kitchen.

Blowing out a breath, he gently opened the box. A set of teeth sat nestled into the clear box insert, immediately intimidating him.

“What the fuck are you doing Rami?” He muttered to himself, nervous fingers pulling on his lower lip “You can’t pull this off.”

Leaving the box open, he headed to the kettle to make some tea. He could feel the weight of those teeth on his shoulders as he poured the water, the incredible pressure of what he was going to have to do sat heavily in his stomach as he dunked the tea bag.Of course if he’d actually told _anyone_ about this, things might have been easier, he could offload, share his worries. But as it stood no one knew he’d been offered the part; much less that he’d accepted it, other than his agent. His Mom, Sami, Yas, Joe; they had no idea. They didn’t even know he’d auditioned. He couldn’t bear the thought of letting them down, but now he had the part he was worried he wouldn’t be able to pull it off. If he had to back out, at least he could do it quietly, with as few people as possible knowing about it. 

Stirring his tea, and taking a seat at the table; the teeth in the corner of his eye, he thought about Joe. Of all his friends, Rami should have told him. There was absolutely no way that Joe would have been anything but supportive, he was great at accents too; probably would offer to help Rami, because he was sweet and kind and Rami’s very best friend. Sipping his tea he wondered if his feelings for Joe; his definitely “I want more than friendship” feelings, had anything to do with the fact he hadn’t shared this with him. He sighed and pushed the box away from him. They’d have to wait till later.

Rami looked over his script for the next afternoon’s Robot shooting and was about to take a shower when his phone rang; Joe’s smiling face lit up his phone background.

“Fuck” he mumbled running his hand down his face, he’d completely forgotten they were supposed to meet up for dinner. He checked his watch; he was meant to have been there 20 minutes ago. He grabbed his phone “Hello!”

“You standing me up Malek?” Joe’s voice wasn’t annoyed, Rami could practically hear him smiling down the phone.

“Joe...I’m sorry....I lost track of time...”

“Want me to come to yours?” Joe asked.

Rami could hear the restaurant noises disappear as Joe stepped outside.

Rami glanced at the teeth, sitting on the table.

“No....no it’s okay...I ‘ll meet you at that Dead Rabbit bar, on Water Street in half an hour?”

“Sure. See you then.....you okay Rami?”

Rami swallowed “Yeah....just a lot on my mind....Elliot..y’know.”

“I ll get you out of his headspace, don’t worry.” Joe chuckled and Rami smiled despite himself; _of course he will_ he thought.

“I can......I can walk y’know...Joey.” Rami stumbled up the staircase, swatting at Joe’s hands hovering near his hips.

“Keys? Where.......where are the keys?” He patted his pockets looking at Joe with glassy eyes and exaggeratedly shrugging his shoulders.

“I have a key Rami...remember?” Joe hadn’t seen Rami this drunk for a long time. Joe wasn’t sober by any means but Rami had seemed to need to lose himself this evening. Joe couldn’t look away from his flushed cheeks and shining eyes and the way he’d kept touching Joe on the arm, leg, anywhere those gorgeous hands had wandered; Joe had felt on edge all evening. He needed to pull himself together.

“You......bed?” Rami slurred as they made it through the door, dropping the contents of his pockets onto the kitchen table.

“Yes...definitely bed” Joe nodded, heading to the fridge and pulling out two bottles of water and passing one to Rami before he stumbled down the corridor, Joe following behind.

Joe opened the door to Rami’s guest room; listening carefully for the sound of Rami falling over on his way to bed.

“Joey!”

Smiling he poked his head into Rami’s room; stifling a laugh at his best friend starfished on the bed, fully clothed.

“Need some help Rami?”

“Stay......stay here”

“I am staying.... it’s too late for me to head home...I’m tired” Joe yawned as if to prove his point.

“No.....here..” Rami patted the bed beside him and Joe gulped. Sure they’d shared a bed before, when they filmed The Pacific they shared a room and often ended up curled up in one another's beds watching a movie on Rami’s laptop. It was no big deal. But that was before Joe’s traitorous heart had made him fall for his best friend a little bit.

“Please?” Rami mumbled sleepily.

Joe took off his jeans, socks and shoes and decided he’d sleep in his t-shirt. He threw his jumper on the chair and climbed into bed beside Rami; who was attempting to remove his own clothes.Rami settled down beside him; placing his hand on Joe’s chest as he began to softly snore and Joe’s heart started to beat wildly against his rib cage.

Strong sunlight bled through the opened blinds as Joe blinked blearily at his surroundings. Rami was plastered to his chest, his limbs wrapped round him like an octopus. Joe’s heart thundered once more; had it even stopped overnight?He was sweaty, Rami seemingly giving off endless heat as he slept; and he really needed to pee. Extricating himself carefully from Rami’s limbs, he quietly headed for the shower. Rami didn’t get to sleep in much and Joe knew he wasn’t due on set till late afternoon; he’d make some breakfast and wake him in a little while.

The kettle boiled and Joe prepared his tea, scratching his bare chest absentmindedly as he scrolled through Instagram. Rami’s phone began to ring loudly where it lay on the kitchen table, Joe picking it up to see if it was important. The name “Graham King” flashed on the phones display; the name rang a bell but he couldn’t quite place it. He decided not to answer and let Rami get the message when he woke.As he placed the phone back on the table he noticed a box with what looked like teeth inside; a very real looking set of large teeth.Joe’s alcohol soaked brain pieced the puzzle together surprisingly fast as he suddenly remembered why he knew the name Graham King. He was the guy, Eric; his agent had met with in London. The producer of the Queen movie Eric was convinced he could get a part in. Had Rami got the part of Freddie? Had he auditioned already? We’re the teeth prep for his audition?

Surprised as he was to figure out who Graham was so fast; the sinking feeling in his stomach didn’t surprise him at all. Why hadn’t Rami told him? They had no secrets. This was huge and could totally change Rami’s career, why wouldn’t he share that with Joe? Sadness washed over him as he realised that maybe they weren’t as close as he thought. But what happened last night? The touches, sleeping in his bed? It all confused him. He sipped at his cooling tea, watching the traffic crawl along the busy street below.

Joe made pancakes; leaving a Rami’s on a warm plate and heading to get dressed. He placed Rami’s phone on the bedside locker and scribbled a quick note explaining he’d had to leave. Rami was still sleeping soundly as he he let himself out of the apartment and started his journey home; all the while thinking of Rami and how their friendship may have changed without Joe even realising.He was sure Rami had his reasons for not telling him, knowing Rami; they were probably ridiculous as he overthought literally everything.Joe decided not to mention it; he’d let Rami tell him in his own time.

Rami was struggling; he had Freddie’s accent down, but he couldn’t replicate it while wearing the teeth.

“Darling” he drawled in Freddie’s now familiar voice; but it didn’t sound like it used to. He frowned, taking the teeth out and trying again. This time it sounded perfect.

“Fuck” he mumbled and picked up the phone, his agent was gonna have to ask for a slightly smaller set of teeth.

Joe had spoken to Rami as much as he always had, but there had been a slight change in their dynamic and others had picked up on it too.

“What’s up with you guys?” his brother John asked one evening. They’d gone for drinks and of course Joe had invited Rami along too.

Joe looked over to the bar; watching Rami as he ordered the next round. His eyes swept over Rami’s body; lean yet muscular under his white tee and black jeans.

“What?” Joe downed the rest of his beer.

“You’re all......” John waved his arm around “...I dunno.....weird” he shrugged.

“Thanks......that’s really helpful” Joe rolled his eyes and plastered on a smile as Rami made his way back to the table.

“They want to hear your accent” Eric told him. “See if you can sound like John......I ll send the video over.”

Joe watched the video of John Deacon giving an interview on a bus, listening carefully to a British accent that he was sure he had never heard in his life. It was unique.But Joe was good with accents, he could do this, he was confident.To practice he set up his phone camera in his car and drove around a parking lot repeating some of the things John had said; speaking with that one of a kind accent that he’d actually found quite easy to master.

Joe was really happy with the result and sent it over to Eric, crossing his fingers that it was enough.

“I have to go to London.....for some meetings” Rami told Joe over pasta in their favourite Italian.Rami had no appetite at all, pushing his spaghetti around the plate instead of actually eating it. He felt physically sick, he’d lied to Joe for so long now that there was no way he could tell him the real reason he was going.

“Oh......how long are you away? I ll water your plants...don’t worry” Joe grinned and pointed his fork at Rami.

“I’m not sure” _another lie._ He could possibly be away for up to a year; maybe more. He needed to tell him. He was the most important person in Rami’s life and he was basically treating him like shit; and probably guaranteeing that they’d never be anything more than friends after all this.

“Uhhhhhh” Rami didn’t know what to say, how to tell him. It had been too long.

“You okay?” Joe chewed his food, watching Rami closely.

“Yeah” _No_ his brain helpfully supplied. What if it all went wrong? What if he couldn’t learn the moves? What if he couldn’t sing with the teeth? What if they fired him?

“I don’t.....I don’t...know how.......”

Joe held his breath. Was Rami actually gonna tell him that he was basically moving to London for a huge career changing role? You don’t go to London for a couple of weeks to film a huge biopic, he’d be there for a while and Joe was gonna miss him like crazy.

“I don’t know why....” Rami swallowed “......but I feel unwell”

Joe’s heart sank. He pressed his lips together and nodded, immediately asking for the bill.

“Let’s get you home” He ushered Rami out into the cool night air; Rami avoiding his gaze as they walked home in silence. Rami only spoke as the approached his building, “Will you stay?”

“Ummm” Joe looked down at his white sneakers; he kicked a stone away, watching ass it clattered into the gutter.

“I dunno......”

“Please Joey.......I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon.”

“Tomorrow?” Joe was surprised; but then he guessed Rami had a lot of prep to do. 

“Okay” he sighed, following Rami up the staircase and trying not to ask him the one question he wanted the answer to.

Rami woke to an empty bed; and the only sign of Joe having been in his apartment was a stack of pancakes and a note:

_Good Luck Rami._

_I know you’ll be brilliant._

_Joe x_

Tears welled in Rami’s eyes as he read and re-read the note. Joe knew. He knew Rami had a job already. Why would he say he’d be brilliant if it was just meetings? How did he know?

He placed the note on the table, next to the teeth box and it slowly hit him. Joe had seen the teeth. He wondered why he hadn’t asked him about them; but then again he had no right to question Joe when he’d gone and kept this all to himself.

Joe found out he had the part of John Deacon a week after Rami had left. He texted Carly asking her to continue watering Rami’s plants and packed to head to London in a few days.He decided not to tell Rami and surprise him on set. Maybe if he’d thought about it a little more, it probably wasn’t the wisest plan but Joe couldn’t bear telling Rami over the phone.

Checking his emails on the plane; he received a cast list from Graham; and there it was in black and white; Freddie Mercury: Rami Malek. He smiled. He was undeniably happy for his friend. This was a career changing part and he’d always felt Rami was underrated. Hopefully this would change all that.

As the flight started its descent, the hurt over Rami not telling him, that he’d hidden away for so long began to resurface. Maybe it was the thought of seeing him again after a couple of weeks? Would Rami be annoyed he hadn’t shared his own news? His brain sounded like that of a teenager but he didn’t care; Rami hadn't told him, so he didn't tell Rami. 

Meeting Gwil and Ben was fun; they all clicked straight away and chatted as if they’d known each other for ages. They had met Rami previously, having already been in London when he arrived, but all three of them were meeting up at Ben’s flat later that evening and Joe felt sick to his stomach. Rami must know he'd be there; he would have had a cast list sent to him as well.

“You know Rami already yeah?” Gwil asked as they walked the short distance to Ben’s place.

“Yeah I’ve known him for 10 years” he replied, leaving out the fact that they spent almost every spare moment they had, together.

Joe distracted himself playing with Ben’s dog while waiting for Rami to arrive. But when there was a knock at the door; his stomach lurched and he swallowed back the urge to throw up on the grey rug.

Rami followed Ben into the sitting room; his eyes immediately falling on an ill looking Joe and a small beagle perched in his lap.

“Joe” he whispered “What........oh my god”

Joe stood on admittedly shaky legs, his heart hammering in his chest. Rami looked thin. Too thin, and his eyes were tired and currently wet with tears. Joe just wanted to hug him, but his pride won out and he blew out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Joe crossed his arms, that hurt sitting in his stomach once more. The tension in the room was immediate and he could see Ben's shocked face out the corner of his eye. 

“Why didn’t _you_ tell me?” Rami shot back, defences up. Joe was not someone to be argued with, but Rami felt so guilty that he hadn’t shared with him that he was willing to fight it out, he deserves this but he also needed to explain.

“NO! No you don’t get to do that.......I asked first.....I’ve known for nearly a year......not that you even thought to tell me?” Joe’s voice was rising, he knew this was rude behaviour in someone else’s house, someone that he'd literally just met two hours ago. He'd apologise afterwards. After Rami would probably make him cry. _Great first impression Joe_ he thought absentmindedly. 

Joe glanced at Ben and Gwil, both now sitting on the sofa and looking puzzled by the exchange.

“I would have trusted _you_ with it, if it were me.” Joe looked Rami straight in the eyes.

“It was you!” Rami was shouting now, he could feel tears welling in his eyes. He didn’t want to cry in front of two people he’d only met twice “You could have told me.....and you didn’t, you chose not to.”

“Well I wanted to get you back for not confiding in me......I.....I...” Joe wiped his face with the palms of his hands, before looking up to the white ceiling and willing his tears away. He didn't think he'd ever sounded so immature. What the fuck was he doing? He’d never fought with Rami like this; he felt like he was fighting for their friendship.

“I was scared okay........fucking terrified I’d mess it up and then.......then the teeth....they weren’t right....I couldn’t do the accent....I didn’t want to let anyone down.” Rami sniffed and dropped onto the couch. He could feel three pairs of eyes on him, waiting. “You....you mean so much to me....I couldn’t let you down.... I wanted to tell you.... I did...” he looked up at Joe, still holding the puppy and let his tears fall.

“I was worried if I backed out.....or was.....let go......I was worried I’d let you down....I wanted to make you proud....you’ve taught me so much.”

He took a breath. No one else had said anything, he could just hear Joe sniffling; so he continued to ramble on. “I learnt so much from you......Snafu...I couldn’t have done it without you...” Would Joe understand? He hoped so. He placed his head in his hands. 

"I loved Snafu......you killed that role” Joe murmured, as he sat down next to Rami on the couch; gently placing Frankie on the rug.

“I loved Elliot...Kenny...Louis......Jonah........Finn all of them....”

Joe took a deep breath, “And You. I......love you.... always have.” He bit his bottom lip as Rami’s eyes met his.

“You serious?” he whispered.

“For once yes.....I’m being serious” Joe nodded, playing with a loose thread on his jeans.

Rami placed his hand over Joe’s and squeezed gently.

“I love you too” Rami breathed, and Joe’s stomach filled with butterflies; a grin spreading over his blotchy tear stained face.

“Ummmmm......we’re.....uhhhhh...we’ll just wait next door” Gwil stood up quickly; pulling Ben with him.

Joe sniggered as Ben and Gwil disappeared, coughing awkwardly before covering Rami's hand with his own "I'm sorry..........I'm an idiot"

Rami smiled, tears pooling in the corners of his eyes, "My idiot.........but I'm sorry too..... truly.......Joe I......." 

"Stop.... its okay.... I have one question though.."

"Ooookay' Rami sounded apprehensive and Joe stifled a laugh before asking;

“You have to kiss with those teeth in right?”

“Yeah.....I’m not looking forward to that” Rami frowned.

“Wanna practice?” Joe whispered

“Joe.....I don’t have them with me."

“Let’s just start like this then shall we?”

Smiling softly at Rami, he pressed his lips against his best friend’s.


End file.
